There are many things to love about Atlanta, but there are an especially large number of things to love for movie buffs.
That's not just because the industry is big business in the city, driving millions in economic growth, but because it's big tourism: with several tours to try, several celeb-friendly hot spots and several local landmarks popping up on the silver screen.
Here's a guide.
What to know
Since 2008, when Georgia implemented its current entertainment-friendly tax credits, Atlanta has played backdrop to more than 140 films and TV shows (and counting), according to the state.
In a Film L.A. survey of primary filming locations conducted last year, Georgia was the third U.S. state to top the list, coming in at No. 5 behind only California and New York and two international locations.
That demand is paying off. Literally: In fiscal year 2015, production companies spent $1.7 billion on 248 projects, an increase from the $1.3 billion spent in fiscal year 2014, which was already a more than 500 percent increase from 2008.
What to see and do
Want to go on a guided locations tour?
Atlanta Movie Tours offers several different rides through the metro area, each of which focuses on a different dimension of the industry. The film sites tour includes a look at locations that have appeared in "The Blind Side," "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Trouble with the Curve," among others.
The victory tour, meanwhile, focuses exclusively on the "Hunger Games" franchise, and the three of its four installments that filmed in Atlanta. The zombie tours (there are two of them) focus on "The Walking Dead" and "Zombieland."
See a complete list of tours, and how to buy tickets, here.
Want to go exploring yourself? Though it can seem like almost every part of the metro area has played host to at least one movie, it's easiest to start a self-tour with these areas:
Atlanta’s Office of Entertainment estimates that 75 percent of filming takes place in the city.
Much of the filming takes place in what the office calls "Zone 5," better known as Midtown and downtown — north from I-20 toward the Downtown Connector’s split and east from Northside Drive toward Piedmont Park.
Seek out the Peachtree Street business block, a favorite of the "Divergent" franchise; the High Museum of Art; and, believe it or not, the Statehouse, where even Gov. Nathan Deal offered up his office for filming.
Castleberry Hill is a part of Zone 5, but stands out for its malleability. Since 1989, the neighborhood — which stretches from Northside Drive to Spring Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to I-20 — has been a little bit of everything for more than 40 productions, including "Tyler Perry's Temptation" and "Driving Miss Daisy."
Castleberry is home to The Gulch — a long strip of paved space and old railways under the Nelson Street Bridge — which Lionsgate used for "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1."
And in 2015, as Marvel came to town, "Captain America: Civil War," transformed it into a Nigerian marketplace.
If you're feeling more indoors-y, consider the historic Swan House, which has been one of the most visible local landmarks in the "Hunger Games" films as the home of the velvet-voiced villain President Snow.
The home offers tours themed around its appearance in the films.
Where to celeb watch
STK, Davio's and The Optimist, among others, are all popular for celebrities in the city.
Other star sightings include Ryan Gosling at Buckhead Diner; Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez getting their hands in some dough at Antico; Ludacris at Varuni Napoli.
How to be an extra
Project Casting maintains a regularly updated list of what productions are looking for extras around the metro area, and when.
On Location Vacations publishes similar information, though less frequently.
The state's Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office maintains a help wanted hotline, too, including requests for extras as well as crew.
Of course, the AJC's Jennifer Brett is the best source for such information, on her blog, The Buzz, updated every day with the latest news and photos about movies and celebrities in Atlanta.
